Process of making mosaic



' March 3, 1942.

J. A. MADALA 2,274,907

PROCESS OF MAKING MOSAIC Filed May 31, 1941 %away Patented Mar. 3, 1942 UNITED ;STATES PATENT A OFFICE i p 2,274,9o7 i i raooass OF MAKING MOSAIC Joseph A. Madala, Chicago, Ill. Application May 31, 1941, Serial No. %6,031

8 Claims. (Cl.18-,-61)

This invention relates to a process of making mosaic.

Among the objects of my invention is to provide a method whereby mosaic may: be made without the necessity of placingeach individual piece of the design in place. With' my process many separated parts may be formed by means ofmoulding, routing out or otherwise forming the design. My process achieves greater speed and economy in the formation of mosaic,. and provides means for proper' duplication of a desired design. My process also provides means whereby contrasting or complementary color effects may be more easily obtained. My invention also contemplates such other objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and which are inherently possessed by my invention.

While I have shown in the accompanying drawing a preferred form of my invention in the process of making mosaic or tile designs, yet I desire it understood that the same is susceptible of modification and change without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Referring to the drawing Fig. l is a perspective view of a block; Fig. 2 is a .perspective View and Fig. 3 a sectional view of the block after the design has been formed; Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the block after the cement has been added to the grooves; Fig. 5 is a sectional View after the top design hearing surface of the block has been covered by a hacking, and Fig. 6 shows the same upside down with the backing as the bottom support; Fig. 7 is a perspectve view with the upper excess portion removed, and Fig. 8 is a plan View of the finished mosaic.

In the preferred form of my process selected to illustrate my invention, I form a block IO of clay, plastic or any other suitable material, as shown in Fig. l, and cut, press, mould, or otherwise form a design Il in its upper portion !2, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The design is formed so that there are a plurality of substantially deep grooves !3 extending in desired directions, some grooves intersecting other grooves, and separating areas !4.

I pour or otherwise apply a stain of desired color or colors to all or any part of the face z of the block ID so that it permeates down through to at least a short distance below the grooves !3. a

By stain I mean any penetrating coloring material.

I then place cement or any other suitable filler l5 in the grooves l3, as shown in Fg. 4. The cement !5 may be plain or of desired color or colors, so as to contrast with or complement the areas l l.`

The top design bearing surface |2 is then covered with a ba'cking [6 of high temperature cement or an air setting cement, or any other suitable material, asshown in Fig. 5. The backing IS may be of'the .same material as binder filler !5 and. may be `put on at the same time as the filling' of grooves 13. In further steps of my process the article l'l shown in Fig. 5 is turned upside down so that backing IE becomes the bottom support, as shown in Fig. 6.

The former lower and now upper excess clay or plastic portion !8 is now cut away or otherwise removed down toward the now bottom portions of the areas M, as shown in Fig. 7. The areas l4 are held together by the cement l5 which acts as a spacer binder. Where I use an air drying cement, or the like, and a block which needs no ring, my product is then complete.

If firing is desired the product IS thus pro'- duced may then be fired in a suitable oven, forming areas !4 into segments ZI, retaining the cement spacer !5, and presenting mosaic 22, as shown in Fig. 8.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The process of making mosaic comprising forming a clay block, forming a desired design in the upper portion of the clay block with substantially deep grooves separating areas, placing cement in the grooves, coverng the upper design bearing portion of the clay block with a high temperature cement, turning the new block so formed upside down with the backing as a bottom support, cutting away the now upper excess portion of the clay block down to the inner ends of the areas bound together by the cement and firing the article so formed for the finished mosaic.

2. The process of making mosaic comprising forming a clay block, forming a desired design in the upper portion of the clay block with substantially deep grooves separatng areas, adding a stain of desired color to substantially permeate the block and color the areas thereof, placing cement of a desired color in the grooves, covering the upper design hearing portion of the clay block with a high temperature cement, turning the new block so formed upside down with the hacking as a bottom support, cutting away the now upper excess portion of the clay block down to the inner ends of the areas bound together by the cement and firing the article so formed for the finished mosaic.

3. A process of making mosaic comprising forming a desired 'design with substantially deep grooves separating areas in the upper portion of a block, filling the grooves and covering the upper design bearing portion of the block with a filler binder' and removing the lower portion of the block to the areas bound together by the filler binder.

4. A process of making mosaic comprising forming a desired design With substantially deep grooves separating areas in the upper portion of a block, placing a filler binder in the grooves, covering the upper design hearing portion of the block With a high temperature resisting hacking, removing the lower portion of the block down to the bottom portions of the areas bound together by the filler binder, and firing the block to finish the mosaic.

5. A process of making mosaic comprising forming a desired design With substantially deep grooves separating areas in the upper portion of a block, adding a stain of desired color to the block, placing a filler binder of desired collor in the" grooves, cover'ing the upper design hearing portion of the block with a high temperature resisting backing', removing' the lower portion of the block' down to the bottom portions of the areas bound together by the filler binder', and ring' the block to finish the mosaic.

6.-A process of making mosaic comprising forming a desired design with substantially deep grooves separating areas in the upper portion of a block, adding a permeating material of desired color to the block, placing a filler binder of desired color in the grooves, covering the upper design bearing portion of the block with a backing, and removing the lower portion of the block down to the bottom portions of the areas bound together by the filler binder.

7. A process of making mosaic comprising forming a desired design With substantially deep grooves separating areas in the upper portion of a block, adding a stain of desired color to the block, placing a filler binder in the grooves, covering the upper design hearing portion of the block with a hacking, and removing the lower portion of the block down to the bottom portions of the areas bound together by the filler binder.

8-. A process of making mosaic comprising forming a desired design With substantially deep grooves separating areas in the upper portion of a block, placing a filler binder of desired color in the' grooves, covering the upper design bearing portion of the block With a hacking, and removing the lower portion of the block down to the bottom portions of the areas bound together by the filler binder.

JOSEPH A. MADALA. 

